Story Elements

What are the elements of a story? SHORT STORY ELEMENTS SETTING PLOT CONFLICT CHARACTER POINT OF VIEW THEME

Setting SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.  For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.  


Ways to describe the setting a)  place - geographical location.  Where is the action of the story taking place? b)  time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc) c)  weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc? d)  social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)? e)  mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?  Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

Plot PLOT -- The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea;  It is the sequence of events in a story or play.  The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end.  The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting.  There are five essential parts of plot: 
 

a)  Introduction/Exposition - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed. b)  Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated; a series of complications c)  Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.  d)  Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves.  e)  Denouement/Resolution - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

Conflict There are two types of conflict: 1)  External - A struggle with a force outside one's self. 2)  Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

Four kinds of conflicts: 
1)  Character vs. Character (physical) - The leading character struggles with physical strength against other men/women, forces of nature, or animals.

2) Character vs. Fate/Nature - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

3)  Character vs. Society The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.

4) Character vs. Himself/Herself The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

Character There are two meanings for the word character: 
1)  The person/animal/alien in a work of fiction. 
2)  The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction PROTAGONIST- central character/hero/all major events have an importance to him/her. ANTAGONIST-the character or force working against the protagonist/villain

The Characteristics of a Person -   The author may reveal a character in several ways: 


a)  his/her physical appearance 


b)  what he/she says, thinks, feels and dreams

c)  what he/she does or does not do 


d)  what others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

Characters are... 1. ROUND- many sided and complex 2. FLAT- stereotypical/one-sided 3.  DYNAMIC-  personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story. 
 4. STATIC –does not change throughout the story

POINT OF VIEW the angle/perspective from which the story is told. There are 3 types:

FIRST PERSON The story is told by the protagonist using pronouns I, me, my…  EXAMPLE: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

THIRD PERSON LIMITED The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it, etc).  We can read the thoughts and feelings of one character. Example: The MAZE RUNNER

THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT knows all the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. will move from character to character, maintaining an omniscient - or godlike - distance. Example: often found in children’s books

Theme The overall lesson of the story What the character “learned” about human behavior or life Cannot be one word